Wuzhen conference aims to narrow global digital divide

The 2024 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit kicked off in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, on Wednesday and will be on till Friday. The Wuzhen summit has been continuously fostering consensus on the development and governance of the internet.

Among them the first and foremost is improving global governance and working toward a shared future for mankind in cyberspace. Developed nations are rarely keen on sharing their expertise with developing countries. In fact, many developed countries even use the internet to interfere in the internal affairs of developing countries.

By respecting every country's sovereignty in cyberspace and adhering to multilateralism, countries can promote the fair establishment of international rules so that all countries can independently determine their internet development strategies.

Strengthening collaborative innovation in research fields such as artificial intelligence, big data and blockchain, and promoting joint efforts in basic research and cutting-edge technologies are other ways. Most internet-based technologies are developed by a few, which makes it necessary for developed countries to cooperate with developing ones to unleash innovative achievements.

Another consensus is to enhance fairness and inclusiveness and promote the global sharing of internet development achievements. By the end of 2023, only about 37 percent of the population in low-income countries had access to the internet. This underlines the necessity of assisting developing countries in advancing informatization, deepening cooperation in digital talent cultivation, and strengthening the application of information technology in key areas.

It is equally necessary to enhance the level of cybersecurity protection, strengthen the ethical use of technology, and properly address the rule conflicts, social risks, and ethical challenges brought about by AI.

By holding the WIC for 10 successive years, China insists on sharing the opportunities brought by Chinese modernization with all countries, injecting strong momentum into global modernization.